


Public Displays

by Thistlerose



Category: Star Trek (2009)
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2011-01-11
Updated: 2011-01-11
Packaged: 2017-10-14 16:02:50
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 542
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/151017
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Thistlerose/pseuds/Thistlerose
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Jim's resolution: get Bones to willingly participate in some public displays of affection.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Public Displays

The first time, Jim just figured he’d startled Bones, and he let it go. The second time, it was a little weird, but Jim tried not to make too much of it; maybe Bones was still pissed at him for that daredevil stunt he’d pulled on Khadaabrios II - even though it had ended up saving the entire away team.

The third time, though, Jim stopped walking, grabbed Bones by the wrist, and whirled him about so they were face to face. “What?” he demanded, his jaw clenching. He could feel his cheeks getting hot. “You really have such a problem with me putting my arm around you in public?”

Bones’s mouth dropped open. “I--”

“You flinch,” Jim grated, “every fucking time. Are you that embarrassed?”

“I’m not embarrassed at all,” Bones said, his forehead wrinkling with consternation. “C’mon, kid, I love you.”

“Then why--”

“I just don’t like showing off.”

“That’s bullshit,” Jim said coldly, dropping Bones’s wrist, “and you know it.”

“Fine.” Bones looked away over Jim’s shoulder. “You’re right, I don’t mind showing off what I can do. It’s a flaw. I just … don’t like showing off what I _have_.”

“So I’m a commodity? Property?”

“Oh, for fuck’s sake, Jim. Do we need to have this conversation _now_?”

Jim stood firmly. Around them, the Deep Space Six promenade bustled with activity. There were merchants, shoppers, diners, Starfleet personnel…

He heard Bones sigh. “Fine. I don’t like tempting fate, I guess.”

“You _guess_? Anyway, you don’t believe in fate.”

“Jim…” Bones pinched the bridge of his nose and shook his head. “I love you, kiddo…”

His guts roiling, his eyes beginning to sting, Jim waited for the ‘but.’

It didn’t come. Bones turned back to him, his lips quirked in an odd smile, the green flecks in his hazel eyes soft and luminous. “I’m kind of fucked up, you know,” he said. “’Bout a lot of things, including public displays of affection. It’s just… I don’t even know. Fuck it. It’s a new year, anyway.” He cupped Jim’s face between his broad hands and ran a thumb tenderly over Jim’s lower lip. “I’m gonna kiss you now, in front of all these people. And then I don’t wanna hear a peep about this until we get back to the ship. Okay?”

Jim huffed, expecting a quick peck on the cheek. Better than nothing, he supposed. “Yeah, okay.”

“Kid.” Bones rolled his eyes. Then he tipped Jim’s head back and pressed their lips together.

Jim flinched a little - he couldn’t help it - but Bones clamped down hard, holding him steady, coaxing his lips apart with gentle but insistent licks, and - fuck it. The tension went out of Jim so abruptly that he almost staggered. Instead, he wrapped his arms around Bones, who went right on kissing him as if they were alone in their quarters, as if everyone else in the universe had ceased to exist.

When he broke the kiss finally, Bones rested his forehead against Jim’s and murmured shakily, “Guess I could get used to this.”

Jim smiled. “And I’m still here.”

In response, Bones brushed his lips over Jim’s. If he realized they’d caught the attention of quite a few passersby, he didn’t seem to care.

12/28/10


End file.
